Matters of the Heart
by B of Ericaland
Summary: much anticipated SEQUEL to queen of hearts. how will brenna's death affect callie and erica and will they survive it...
1. The Problem

DISCLAIMER:: not mine. belongs to shonda and abc.

A/N:: so here it is... the revised sequel to queen of hearts. thanks for being patient with me; i know it's been a long time coming. all questions will be answered here. why does ethan want to be a part of callie's life? what secret is callie keeping from erica? and many more.

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"She is driving me crazy, absolutely insane."

"What is she doing that's making you crazy?"

"Well for one thing, she exercises."

Dr. Wyatt raised an eyebrow. "Her exercising upsets you?"

"No, you don't understand. She exercises _all the time_. She never stops. Just when I think she's gonna pass out from exhaustion she turns on tae bo."

"Have you said anything to Callie? Have you told her your concerns?"

Erica shook her head. "Oh no. I can't do that."

"Why not?"

Erica sighed and wrung her hands. "We still don't talk about Brenna. It's been three months since the funeral. I can still see in Callie's eyes that she hurts. She's doing much better now, talking and working. Looking from the outside, it would seem as if nothing about her had ever changed, but there's a part of her that's a little broken inside. And she hides that part from everyone, even me. When we came back from California, she tried so hard to go on with her life, but she wasn't herself… until she found this new love of fitness. Callie's never been self-conscious. She has always loved her figure. But this seems to make her happy. " Erica shook her head again. "No, I couldn't possibly take that away from her. I'm too afraid she'd become how she was before we came home."

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It had been three months since Callie and Erica had returned home from California. Callie had insisted upon returning to work the very next day despite Erica's requests that she take a little more time to process what they'd just been through.

But the truth was Callie just wanted to forget. She wanted to forget how lost she had felt. She wanted to forget the three graves by the lake. She wanted to forget the slight touch of envy hiding behind the warmth and pride that had been in Brenna's eyes as she looked at Callie in her wedding gown. She wanted to forget it all. And at the same time, she wanted to forget nothing.

So quickly Brenna had become Callie's friend, as close as any family member. She had considered her to be like a sister. In fact, all of the Donovan's were now her family. She'd do anything for them and she knew they felt the same. But it was all too painful to bear.

She had begged Erica, in what had been the longest conversation she'd had with her wife since she'd received news of the death, to take her home a day before schedule. It was too much of a reminder staying there with the people she'd come to love because of Brenna.

If Brenna hadn't shown up at Seattle Grace, Erica would never have taken Callie to Foxtail Creek. She never would have known Gail, Michael, or Benjamin. She knew without a doubt that it would have been years before Erica would have opened up about her past. And she probably never would have learned the depth of it all. Erica wasn't exactly the world's most forthcoming person when it came to her past.

Brenna had given her so much in the few months they'd known each other. They'd lived so much life together and yet had had so little time.

Once Callie returned to Seattle, she dealt with things the best way she knew how. She returned to work immediately, she pulled extra shift, and just when she was certain she'd break down she'd find a trauma to immerse herself in.

She felt guilty about working so much. She knew Erica was concerned, but the blonde refrained from saying anything. When she looked in Erica's eyes, she saw the hurt her wife felt at her distance. It wasn't fair to Erica, but she just couldn't revisit the issue.

And she had more pressing issues to think about. The maintenance of her appearance for example. Callie was dead set on keeping her body exactly the way it was. It had started as just a random workout, a run around the park, but then she'd become addicted to the endorphins. She found herself jogging with Karev or doing Pilates every free chance she got between work and sleep. It was creeping even her out, but she just couldn't seem to stop.

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"So, what else is Callie doing that bothers you?"

"Well, she calls Gail almost daily. They've become very close recently."

"Why does that bother you?"

Erica contemplated her answer for a long moment. "I guess it doesn't bother me, not really. I love that Gail and Callie have a good relationship. I think it's one of the main reasons that Callie's been able to heal. I guess I just feel… left out. Callie doesn't talk to me like she used to. She used to tell me everything. We were best friends."

"And you don't think you are anymore?"

"I don't know."

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The calls with Gail had become a ritual Callie refused to break. Ever since the funeral Gail had called at least once every three days to check up on how she was doing. But rather than finding it annoying, she kind of liked having a second mom. She felt supported, which was something she needed right now.

She could tell this bothered Erica too. She could somehow manage to stay on the phone with Gail for an hour relaying the day's events, but yet she couldn't seem to find more than a couple moments to have a decent conversation with Erica.

She knew exactly why she was avoiding talking to Erica though she wouldn't admit it to the cardio surgeon. She wasn't even ready to admit it to herself.

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"Anything else that bothers you?"

"Ethan West."

"That's Callie's ex-fiancé right?"

"Ex seems to be a relative term."

"She's sleeping with him?"

Erica frowned. "No, but they have lunch together every Wednesday and Sunday without fail. If Callie's on duty, he comes to the hospital and they eat in the cafeteria. He sometimes waits for hours without complaint if she's in surgery or something. The Sunday's and Wednesday's she has off, she goes out with him to a restaurant. His movie's still shooting right now, but they wrap up in few weeks."

"Well, that should be good. Then you'll have her all to yourself again."

"Oh no. He's decided to make Seattle a permanent thing for himself. He's buying a house here. He's still planning on flying to LA for work, but Seattle is going to be homebase from now on." Erica laughed dryly at the absurdity of it all.

"So, are you concerned that Callie's affections may be leaning towards her ex?"

"Callie assures me she's not. She wants me to trust her, and I'm trying here, but it's just a little hard to swallow. She doesn't communicate with me anymore. I'm trying to give her space and let her deal with whatever it is that's got her acting this way, but I'm at my breaking point. I don't know what to do anymore."

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Ethan West had become as big a part of Callie's life as if she had gone through with the marriage. They spent several hours a week together. Their friendship was an awkward but strong one. Neither wanted to broach the subject that needed to be broached and so they often found themselves caught in long pauses where neither was willing to say or ask what was on their mind.

Callie had not been particularly happy about his decision to stay in Seattle after shooting for his film wrapped up, but the idea had grown on her. She went house shopping with him occasionally, all the time feeling as if this were something she should be doing with Erica.

She had kept no part of her relationship with Ethan a secret from Erica. She knew Erica was prone to paranoia, especially considering the nature of her and Ethan's past, and she had been quick to abate any fears that she was rekindling her romance with him. Of course she hadn't explained herself either and therein laid the problem.

Erica and she had come to an impasse. And Callie knew if they didn't find a way around this, they would fall apart.


	2. Do it Right

Erica had been quick to volunteer for as many on call shifts as she could manage without going crazy. One of the perks of being a doctor was that there was always work to be done. It was easy to immerse yourself and get lost in your job. She could go to work and spend her time fixing someone, trying to make up for her guilt at not being able to fix Callie.

Even when no surgeries or consults were to be had, she spent her time in her office catching up on paperwork. It was easier than facing the tension at her apartment, their apartment.

She'd given up trying to question Callie about their obvious lack of communication. It wasn't that Callie ignored her or pushed her concern aside, but she gave vague answers and wouldn't explain herself. Especially when she brought up the subject of Ethan West and his recent decision to relocate to Seattle. It's not that Erica didn't trust Callie to be on her best behavior, or that she even cared that Callie wanted to be friends with her ex-fiance. It came down to jealousy. She was green with envy that Ethan West was the man Callie turned to for advice and support. There was something that had brought them back together, but Callie had been avoiding answering that question in particular.

So it came as a particular shock when Callie came to her office the following Wednesday, dressed in street clothes, and knocked on the open door. "Hey."

Erica looked up, surprised. "Hey."

"You didn't come home last night after work. I was worried."

Erica searched Callie's eyes, but she only saw sincerity. "You were?"

Callie smiled. "Of course I was." She sauntered into the office, closing the door and sitting down across from the blonde. "I missed you."

Erica dropped the pen in her hand onto her desk and looked over the top of her glasses, not quite believing her ears. "You did?"

Callie smiled and nodded. "I did." She glanced at the clock on the east wall. "Which is why I was hoping you might consider going out with me."

Erica stared at her in disbelief. "But it's Wednesday."

Callie's brow furrowed, confusion on her face. "Is that supposed to mean something? Did I forget plans or something?"

Erica shook her head. "No. It's just… It's Ethan's day."

Callie laughed. "God, you say that like you guys have joint custody."

Erica shrugged. "Well, actually…"

Callie shook her head. "Oh no, don't even try and go there. We're friends Erica, that's all. You are more than welcome to come to any of our lunches. I've invited you before, but you always have been adamant that it would be too awkward."

Erica couldn't argue with fact. Callie had invited her… a lot, in the beginning, and she had always respectfully declined. But that was also before she knew it was going to be this big thing in Callie's life.

"So…?"

"So what?" Erica snapped back out of her thoughts.

Callie rolled her eyes playfully. "So, me, you, a walk through the park… what do ya say?"

Erica couldn't help but smile. This… this was the Callie she had been missing. This was the woman she had fallen in love with, the woman she had married. "Okay."

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They had been walking around the twisting paths of Washington Park for nearly an hour without so much as a word. Erica was too happy that Callie finally seemed to be showing some sign that she was getting back to how it used to be to point out this fact. There were so many things that were still left undiscussed between them, but that wasn't her priority at the moment. When they had arrived at the park and started their little trek, Callie had grabbed her hand. It had been so long since Callie had shown any affection towards her in the privacy of their own home, let alone in public. But now she seemed content to walk hand in hand with Erica all day.

"Thanks Cal."

Callie looked over. "For what?"

Erica shrugged. "For coming here with me today."

Callie smiled.

Erica decided to take advantage of Callie's good mood. "We've just been so distant lately and I was worried that… I mean we used to be… It's not like..."

"I wanna get married."

Erica came to a standstill. "What?"

Callie's face remained blank. "I want to get married."

Erica frowned. "We are married."

Callie shook her head. "I want to do it again, do it right. I want Gail there, and Michael, Benjamin, and my family. I want all our friends from work. I want to have my dad walk me down the aisle and give me away. I want a reception with ridiculously corny toasts about love and forever. I want flowers and champagne and a tiered wedding cake."

Erica was amazed to see tears in Callie's eyes.

"I want to stand in front of everyone we know and tell them how much I am in love with you and how happy I am that I get to spend the rest of my life with you."

Erica smiled and wiped away the tears that had started to fall. "And what brought all this on?"

Callie looked down, ashamed.

"Cal, what is it?"

Callie looked up. "I woke up and you weren't there. You weren't there and I was scared maybe you, I don't know, finally got tired of all this and left."

Erica frowned. "Why would I leave?"

Callie shrugged, focusing her attention on two joggers as they ran past to avoid looking into Erica's eyes.

"Cal, it's okay, you can tell me." Erica put her hands on the brunette's shoulders and squeezed them gently.

Callie shrugged again. "There's so many better things you could be doing with your life. You could find work anywhere. Your this cardio god. And I'm just an ortho resident. Not to mention how I've treated you lately, keeping secrets from you, spending more time with Ethan, talking with Gail when I should be talking to you."

Erica grabbed Callie's hand and pulled her gently down along the path until they were walking side by side down through the park again.

"We're married Cal. I couldn't leave you even if the thought ever crossed my mind to do so."

"We are married, by Canadian law. But here… if you wanted to walk out that door, you could. You'd have no legal obligation to stay."

Erica stopped and pulled Callie into a hug. "No, but I have an emotional obligation to stay. I love you Cal, that's the only thing I need."

Callie pulled back. "Sometimes, loves not enough."


	3. Turning Dark Blue

DISCLAIMER:: not mine. belongs to shonda and abc

A/N:: sorry for being m.i.a. my sister is getting married in less than a month and she flew out for an extended vacation. plus, i am super super busy at work. but i promise there will be a couple more updates before the third week of november when i go 'underground' until january.

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"So what did she say?" Ethan's eyes accused Callie curiously as she slid into the passenger seat of his black Audi.

"About what?" Callie stared blankly back at him as if she had no idea what he was talking about.

"God Callie, how did I know this would happen?" Ethan rubbed his temples then put the car in drive. He pulled away from the curb.

Callie buckled her seat belt. "What are you so frustrated about?"

"We have been talking bout this for weeks. How you would break the news to Erica, how she would react, how to prepare for the worst." He glanced at Callie and then back at the road. "So did you even spend any time with her?"

"Of course."

"Don't even try to say that like you've given her the time of day since…" He wouldn't dare finish his sentence. Mentioning Brenna's death, even though Callie was functional now, was a serious taboo. He wouldn't intentionally cause her pain, ever. He switched gears automatically to a safer topic. "What did you talk about then?"

"I asked her to marry me…again."

Ethan was too proud to show it, but a small piece of his heart broke off and disintegrated into nothingness. He still loved Callie Torres. Despite the fact that she had left him at the altar. She had run back to Erica Hahn; she had chosen Erica Hahn, he loved her still. Somewhere, buried deep behind all the fronts he put on for her benefit, he still held a small hope that she'd realize she had made a grave mistake by choosing Erica. He kept his true feelings a secret from her because he was certain he would lose her. You can't force someone to choose you, just simply guide them subtly along the right path. Right now, she was beyond his reach. She belonged to Erica. But he was buying his time, and part of him actually was starting to believe he was winning. She was, after all, talking to him about her problems and not Erica, a fact that pissed Erica off more each day. "And?"

Callie shrugged. "I don't know. We went home and I… went to bed without her."

"You have to tell her Callie."

Callie shook her head. "I can't risk losing her Ethan."

Ethan gripped the steering wheel and uttered the words he knew he had to. "You already are."

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"Dr. Torres, can I speak with you just one moment?"

Callie turned at the sound of the Chief's voice to see him leaning out the door of his office. He was beckoning her. She backtracked and followed him into his office, closing the door behind her. "Yeah Chief?"

"I'll get straight to the point Dr. Torres. You've been at Seattle Grace for six years. You are the best we have to offer in orthopedics and I think it's about time the title matched the talent."

Callie bit back the smile that was tugging at her lips.

The Chief smiled for her. "How do you feel about dark blue?"

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"Erica!" Callie nearly slammed the door behind her as she flew into the apartment she shared with Erica.

Erica looked up from the book she was reading on the couch with wide, concerned eyes. The exclamation was the most emotion she'd seen from Callie in too long. It was definitely cause for concern.

Callie stopped in front of the couch with a huge smile on her face.

Erica set her book down on the side table and gave Callie her full attention.

Callie had purposely not changed out of her new scrubs so she could flaunt them in front of Erica.

It took a moment for Erica's eyes to register this. When they did, they grew wide. "You got promoted?"

Callie fell into Erica's lap. "You are looking at the new orthopedic attending at Seattle Grace Hospital. I have my own department now, officially."

Erica smiled. "Cal, that's wonderful."

Callie took a deep breath. For the first time in what seemed like forever she let herself get lost in the blue of Erica's eyes. She leaned forward and her lips slowly found Erica's. Erica reacted cautiously, desperate for the contact but afraid of moving too fast and scaring Callie away. But once Callie had taken that first step there was no going back for her. She didn't object when Erica pulled her closer, but rather leaned in to the blonde's body.

Erica pulled back but Callie only allowed her a quick breath before leaning right back in and capturing her lips again. Erica sank into her kiss again and all thoughts of moving from her current position left her.

"Okay, I'll do it." Erica managed to get out in between kisses. "I'll do the whole white wedding thing."

This elicited an almost carnal response from Callie. She pressed herself harder into Erica's body and nipped at the blonde's neck playfully.

Erica had no idea what had come over Callie. She hadn't acted this way since before Brenna had passed.

It only took a few seconds for Callie to register Erica's hesitation. When she did, she pulled back. "What's wrong?"

Erica just smiled and shook her head. "Thank you."

Callie raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For eliminating my fears that you might never…"

Callie put a finger to Erica's lips. "We need to talk about that, about everything… but not now. She slid off Erica's lap, earning a whimper from the blonde. Callie smiled and held out her hand. "Come tuck me in?"

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Callie could hear someone talking in the back of her mind, through the haze of sleep. She reluctantly sifted through the layers of unconsciousness and opened her eyes. She saw Erica pacing the room in nothing but a long t-shirt, talking animatedly on the phone. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and watched Erica with a hungry gaze as the memories from last night came flooding back.

"I'll make the plans and call you with the details. I'll be sure and tell her. Uh-huh. Bye." Erica ended her call with the press of a button and set her cell phone down on the dresser. She noticed her audience and smiled, crossing the room and sitting on the edge of the bed. She pushed a stray strand of hair behind Callie's ear and bent down to capture her lips in a kiss.

Callie smiled as Erica pulled away. "Who was on the phone?"

Erica leaned in for another kiss. "Oh, just your mother."

Callie's eyes shot open and she dunked out of the way of the kiss. "What? You talked to my mother? You called my mother?"

"Yes, and yes."

Callie scowled. "I'll give you thirty seconds to explain before I kill you."

"Cal, don't be ridic…."

"Twenty three seconds."

Erica sighed. "Cal, she's my mother now too."

Callie's jaw dropped. She wasn't often rendered speechless, but she would never have expected those words to leave Erica's mouth. All remembrance of the countdown was gone. She just stared blankly at Erica as a million thoughts raced through her head. She wanted to feel jealous that her mother and Erica were obviously connecting, and relieved for the same reason. She wanted to feel betrayed that Erica hadn't told her this, but she had no right to do that when she was keeping secrets herself. She couldn't decide which emotion to feel.

"Cal, I'm sorry. I called her to tell her I found you after you left Ethan and we got to talking every couple weeks or so. It's not a big deal. I didn't know it would upset you."

"It doesn't." Callie sat up and wrapped her arms around Erica's neck. She pulled her into a hug. "It's good that you two are talking and getting to know each other. It means a lot to me. I was just a little caught off guard. It's obviously been going on for a while and neither of you had mentioned it to me."

Erica was normally not the type to hold her tongue but she was smart enough to know she probably shouldn't mention that Callie really hadn't given either of them the chance. With as few words as she'd said to Erica, she'd said even fewer to her family.

Callie wouldn't break the embrace; it felt so good to be in Erica's arms and she couldn't hide a small sniffle as she realized how quickly she could lose this.

Erica pulled back just enough to look into Callie's eyes. "Hey, hey what's wrong?"

Callie shook her head. "It's nothing."

Erica caressed Callie's cheeks gently with her hands. "I don't know what it is that you're not able to tell me, or why, but maybe I could give you a little motivation."

Callie smiled and put a hand over one of Erica's. "Oh yeah? Like what?"

"A little vacation."

Callie pulled away from Erica's embrace and leaned against the headboard. She gave Erica a doubtful look. "I don't know if that's such a good idea. I'm not sure I'm ready to leave the comforts of home for some tourist locale."

Erica smiled. "Well then I guess it's good that I'm taking you home to your family."

Callie raised a hopeful eyebrow. "A Miami?"

Erica rolled her eyes and smiled. "Si, a Miami."

Callie sat forward and her lips found Erica's instantly. After a moment she pulled back and rested her forehead against Erica's. "Gracias, mi amor."

Erica smiled. "You're welcome Cal."


	4. So He Built Me a Castle

DISCLAIMER:: not mine. belongs to shonda and abc studios

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"She talks to my mother." Callie looked at Ethan as if he would be stupid not to accept that as a legitimate reason. She pushed her pasta around on her plate, not having much of an appetite all day.

"So?" Ethan reached across the table and speared one of the chicken pieces from the top of her lunch, popping it into his mouth.

"What do you mean so? My mom is her mom now."

"So?"

"She's never had a mom, not really. Gail's the closest thing she's ever had and their contact was virtually non-existent until recently. I think it secretly thrills her to have a family. We're going to see them. We leave late Friday night."

"So?"

Callie sighed. "So I don't want to ruin this for her."

Ethan smiled and shrugged. "Well I hope you have a good vacation, both of you."

Callie raised an eyebrow. "That's it? You're not going to berate me?"

Ethan sighed. "You're in denial Callie. I can't make you do anything you're not ready to do. Do I think your choice to keep a secret from your… wife… is smart? No. Do I think it's better to tell her right now? Yes. Am I going to throw it in your face and shove my opinion at you? No. This is your choice Callie. It's your life and you live it how you want. It's obvious my opinion has no affect on you anyway."

Callie nodded. "I know I should tell her but it's not that easy. Every single time I get ready to tell her, after hours of talking myself up, telling myself over and over that she'll be okay with this, I just… it comes like a slow poison, that venomous thought that the next words to come out of my mouth have the potential to destroy my world."

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"There you are." Erica walked across the room and put a hand on Callie's shoulder, drawing the younger woman's attention to her. "Cal, please tell me you will be out of your surgery by seven."

Callie smiled. "Don't worry, I will be out by seven."

Erica took a step back, an identical smile on her face. "Promise?"

Callie rolled her eyes. "I promise. We will not miss our flight. Now go so I can get back to work."

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Erica was happy their plane wasn't crowded. She had never really liked being stuffed in an inescapable place with a bunch of strangers for several hours. She liked it much better when there was just a couple people per row and she could really enjoy the scenery. She took her gaze off the lighted runway and turned to Callie in the seat next to her. "You ready?"

Callie was quick to notice the excitement behind Erica's eyes. She was containing it, guarding her heart as usual. She reached over and grabbed Erica's hand off her lap and laced their fingers together. "I love you… more than I think you could ever comprehend."

Erica tilted her head to the side curiously but she couldn't hide the joy she felt at the small comment. "Where'd that come from?"

Callie didn't answer but instead turned away. After a couple moments Erica sighed and turned back to the window.

Callie squeezed her hand. Erica squeezed back after a moment's hesitation. And Callie knew she still had time. Not lots of it, but time.

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It had been a few years since Callie had been home to Miami. Not long enough to forget the heat, or the beaches, or the nightlife. Not long enough to forget the way home. But long enough to forget how good it feels to come home after you've been gone for so long. She could barely contain the small rush of joy she felt when the taxi pulled up to the front of her parent's house. It was early, just after dawn.

She closed her eyes and the memories of her childhood flooded back. Memories of dressing up with her sister to sneak out of the house. Memories of family parties on the beach. Memories of sitting on her father's lap in the library as he read to her. Memories of watching her mom cook dinner.

"Cal?" Erica put a hand on Callie's shoulder.

Callie didn't hesitate. She spun around and threw herself into Erica's arms. "Thank you."

Erica melted. Callie was coming back around, she was sure of it.

"Ahem."

Both women looked up though they remained in each other's arms.

"Hello Calliope, Erica." Idola Torres smiled at them from the front door.

"Mom." Callie broke from Erica's embrace to walk to the door and hug her mother.

"Hello Idola."

Idola beamed at Erica over her daughter's shoulder and Erica saw the appreciation she felt. Over the course of their conversations she had come to grasp a little of how much Idola missed her daughter.

When Callie finally pulled away she reached out her hand to Erica who immediately grabbed the bags and joined her. Idola smiled. "It's so nice to see you again Erica." Idola waved a hand over her shoulder and a woman came, grabbed the bags from Erica, and carried them off.

"Thank you for inviting us Idola. I know Callie has been wanting to visit for a long time." Callie smiled at Erica for a long moment and then looked back at her mom and nodded.

Idola watched her daughter's gaze with a smile. "It's really my pleasure." She looked between them for a moment before stepping aside and gesturing with a hand. "Come in girls. You must be exhausted."

"I know I am." Callie walked past her mother into the house, dragging Erica behind her. "In fact, I think a nap is in order. " Callie yawned for emphasis.

Idola rolled her eyes. "Some things never change. I had Christa fix up your old room for you and Erica. Just go on up."

"You coming?" Callie raised an eyebrow at Erica.

Erica shook her head. "No, I'm not that tired."

Callie shrugged. She leaned up and gave Erica a soft sweet kiss. "I'll see you later."

"Sleep well." Erica smiled at Callie as she disappeared up the staircase. Once she was out of sight, Erica brought her attention back to Idola.

"Would you like some coffee Erica?"

"Coffee would be wonderful, thank you."

Erica followed Idola through a maze of hallways and rooms on the ground floor until they reached a grand kitchen in the back of the house. Idola put the coffee on as Erica took a seat on one of the barstools by the island.

"Your house really is beautiful. I can't believe Callie grew up here. My parents house was big, but I never really spent much time there, that I can recall anyway."

"Eduardo grew up hard. My family has always been wealthy, but Eduardo had to work hard for his money. When we met he was just this crazy Spanish boy with these great dreams that seemed beyond his grasp studying Greek architecture." Idola smiled. "My parents disapproved of course. They were very traditional. He wasn't Greek. He was poor. He was not good enough for me. Just when it seemed as if we could not be together, he was going back to Spain, my parents had chosen a rich Greek boy for me to marry… he went to my father for a talk. Next thing I knew I was going back to Spain with him. I asked him what he had said to my father to change his mind and he told me he had told my father that I was his princess and one day he would build me a castle and he would love and take care of me all our days." Idola looked around the room fondly. "He built this house for me the year before my father passed." She pulled two mugs out of a cupboard. "Do you take cream or sugar?"

"No, black please." Erica took the cup Idola offered her. She was in awe of Callie's mother. It seemed as if she had lived a fairytale.

"My daughter… I see what you mean about the change in her. She is different. There is a great amount of conflict behind her eyes. She is carrying a secret."

Erica sighed into her cup. "Don't I know it. Every time I ask her what's on her mind, she pulls back, she withdraws. It normally wouldn't worry me, not when she just lost Brenna, but she's always been so vocal."

"Calliope does process her thoughts out loud. That hasn't changed. I can tell it hurts her to hold it inside, especially from you. But this is weighing on you too, isn't it?" Idola gazed unflinchingly at Erica over the rim of her mug as she took a sip.

Erica set her own mug down, sighed, and rubbed her temples. "It doesn't bother me that she wants to have a secret. Everyone is entitled to a little privacy. What bothers me is that this is causing some inner turmoil and I can't help. A part of her is hurting and she won't let me fix it."

Idola turned away. "Will you end it then?"

Erica downed the last of her coffee and pushed her empty mug towards Idola who soundlessly poured her a fresh cup from the glass carafe. "No, not right now."

"Soon then?"

Erica sighed. "I don't know. She's been so great since the promotion and finding out we were coming here. I see life in her again and it gives me hope."

Idola nodded. "I would never want you to stay in this relationship if you ever became unhappy with it. However, I hope you are happy because Calliope is."

"Of course I'm happy. I love Callie, more than anyone or anything. I'd do anything for her. I'd give up anything for her. I won her back from a man she almost married and I think about that time, when she wasn't in my life, and I feel like my heart is breaking all over again."

The cup slipped from Idola's hands and shattered on the tile floor. Erica jumped off the stool and crouched down to help her pick up the shards. "Are you okay?"

Idola focused on picking up the porcelain fragments. "I'm, I'm fine."

Erica picked up the last of the pieces as Idola got the broom and swept up the rest. She had this distant look in her eyes that Erica didn't understand.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Idola looked at Erica. "I think I know what's bothering Calliope."

"Erica?"

Both Erica and Idola looked up to see Callie in the doorway.

"Cal? I thought you were taking a nap."

Callie frowned. "I couldn't sleep without you."

Idola smiled. She gave Erica a nudge towards the door. "We were just finishing up here anyway. She's all yours darling."

Erica frowned over her shoulder at Idola. She hated feeling like she was the last to know, but when she turned back to Callie, she was smiling. This week was about growing closer and making Callie happy. That was her main priority and she knew she was going to have to be patient if she wanted to accomplish that.


	5. All Hail Queen Calliope

DISCLAIMER:: not mine. still belongs to shonda and abc studios.

A/N:: i just want to say a super big thanks for all the support, not just on this story, but all my stories. your feedback has been wonderful, not only for my ego but also for the improvement of my work. this chapter and the next couple that follow are going to focus on callie's family and her relationship with them. i am not greek, but i do come from a culture that values family just as much. i modeled callie's family loosely after my own, since we know very little about them from the show. i promise that callie's family will provide just as much drama as the donovans (from queen of hearts) did, especially when callie's sister shows up with her new boyfriend. so stay tuned for that!

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Erica woke to light from the open window. It was still daylight outside though it was waning. She had slept all morning and most of the afternoon. When Callie had led her upstairs that morning it had been to a room with the curtains drawn and the lights off. Callie had led her blindly to what she assumed was a bed and they had curled up together. She had thought she wouldn't be able to sleep with the coffee in her but she had underestimated the comfort of Callie wrapped up in her arms.

She sat up and looked around Callie's childhood room and tried to hold back her surprise. She had expected lavish decorations, paintings, silk curtains, all the things her parents had had in their bedroom when she was a child. But Callie's was the polar opposite. The bed she was in had a frame of black oak, fancy for what it was, but not very grand. Her sheets were of a burgundy color, but plain. The only other furniture in the room was a bureau made of the small oak as the bed frame. A burgundy silk runner ran across it's length, the most extravagant piece of décor in the room. A small lamp sat off to the right side, offering the only source of light in the room with the exception of the window and holding the runner in place. Three of the four walls were bare. The fourth, across from the window, was covered from floor to ceiling in photographs of all shapes and sizes. The room wasn't lighted enough to make out what was on them from that distance but Erica was pretty sure she would find a photographic history of her wife's life up there. At least her life before Seattle Grace.

Callie stood with her back to Erica, examining the pictures. "My father just arrived."

Erica yawned. "Is this supposed to scare me?"

Callie smiled though Erica couldn't see it. "You should be terrified." She turned away from the wall and crossed the room back to the bed. She crawled across it and laid down next to Erica.

"I think I can hold my own." Erica pulled Callie in for a smoldering kiss.

The door burst open and two dark forms hurtled themselves onto the bed, seemingly oblivious of the two women kissing. Callie pulled away quickly, embarrassment coloring her face.

The two dark forms, which Erica now was able to make out were men, full grown men, tackled Callie, accidentally knocking her out of bed and onto the floor, though it didn't seem to phase any of them. Callie playfully wrestled back as Erica watched in confusion. Finally Callie pinned both boys with a knee on each of their stomachs and a hand on their chests. "I win."

"All hail Calliope. We are unworthy."

Callie got up and smiled triumphantly down at them. "Due to your recognition of your inferiority I've decided to let you live."

The boys crawled up onto their knees and bowed. "Oh thank you Queen Calliope. We are forever in your debt."

Callie rolled her eyes just as Erica cleared her throat. Callie looked over her shoulder and, upon remembering her wife was still in the room, grew even more red. "Oh, um, Erica, this is man-child one and man-child two, otherwise known as my cousins Darius and Damian. They work with my father."

Erica nodded slowly, still trying to process what she had just seen. Callie was not normally like this at home. She was sensual and confident. She enjoyed curling up on the couch with Erica and taking walks. She wasn't extremely introverted but she respected silence. But Erica found that she was currently looking at an overgrown kid. Normally this would be a negative thing, but somehow it brought out a life in Callie she had been lacking in recent months. Erica knew she had made the right choice by bringing Callie here, even if she did feel out of the loop.

"Boys, this is Erica."

Erica smiled at the love in Callie's voice. She didn't need to add the title, girlfriend or wife, it was implied in her tone and the way she looked at Erica as she said it.

The boys stood and bowed, the epitome of good Greek gentlemen.

"Darius! Damian! You get out of that room and leave those girls alone!" The woman who had answered the door when Erica had first come to Callie's family home stood in their doorway. She was scowling at the boys. They backed out of the room. Once they were out of sight the woman gazed in at Callie and Erica blankly. "Your mother will have dinner ready in an hour." She shut the door behind her as she left.

"Who was that? She answered the door the first time I was here, looking for you."

Callie frowned. "That was my mother's older sister, Adara. She's Darius and Damian's mother."

"So she's your aunt?"

Callie nodded. "She used to be."

Erica frowned. She had thought Callie was close with all her family members. "What happened?"

Callie sighed and sat back down on the bed. "In Greek culture, family is important, just as it is in Spanish culture. You do anything and everything for your family, you protect them at all costs. Adara grew up beautiful. She's older than my mother, and the oldest children in the family are expected to… carry the weight in a way of the family's expectations. Adara married really young, to a man her father selected. She had her oldest son right away. Her husband owned his own shipping company and he traveled a lot. She stayed home with the baby and was a good Greek wife. After Darius and Damian were born, their father started to change. He became darker and more… violent. He would hit Adara in front of the boys. It took her nearly ten years before she admitted the abuse to my parents. They left right away for Greece. The next day, while he was at work, they snuck her out of the house, Darius and Damian too. Her first son and Gorgonio, her husband, came home from work to find them gone. The next few months were rocky for everyone. Gorgonio wasn't ready to give Adara and the children up without a fight and neither were my parents. In the end, we won and he stopped coming around."

Erica put a comforting hand on Callie's arm. "But that sounds like a happy ending to a tragedy."

Callie shrugged and met Erica's eyes. "You would think." She looked away. "Adara still feels it was her responsibility to make the relationship work. It hurts her that she feels she wasn't strong enough to do so and it hurts her even more that her eldest took his father's side. He does not speak to her. She has never met his wife or his two children."

Erica pulled Callie back and into her lap. "Family is so important to you, isn't it?" She pushed a loose strand of Callie's dark hair behind her ear.

Callie nodded.

"I've never really had a family before. I have Gail and Benjamin and Michael, but I don't have parents or siblings anymore." She put a hand to Callie's cheek. "So maybe we should make more of an effort to come and see yours more often. I want them to be a part of our life, together, a big part. I think it might be nice to have a family."

Callie smiled and Erica could see in her eyes that the words had warmed her. She slid off Erica's lap. "You might want to hold that thought until after your first Torres dinner. An hour with my father and you might be singing a totally different tune."


	6. Without Consent of the King

DISCLAIMER:: not mine. still belongs to shonda and abc studios

A/N:: this is a short chapter, i know, but work has been at the forefront of my mind lately, as well as my plans for the immediate future. after last night's episode, which i considered to be one of my favorites, not just for a good ending, but also in regards to how it gave us a little more insight into arizona's character and confirmed that she's going to be sticking around for a while. so in honor of that, i was thinking about publishing this story i was going to save for the new year just a little early. what do you guys think? yes, no, maybe so? let me know.

* * *

Callie was rarely the type to be picky about her appearance. She just had this way of making the smallest effort pay off. Little make up or a lot, designer clothes or scrubs, all were just enhancements of the natural beauty she possessed. She hardly ever took the time to go over the top to make herself look good, but Erica watched as she worried in front of a mirror hanging on the closet door.

Erica knew she should be the one worried about making a good impression and a small part of her was. She wanted Callie's father to approve of her as Callie's mother already did, but she also knew he would react to her the same way regardless of how she looked. No amount of primping was going to make him forget that she was a woman. She wasn't some teenaged gentleman suitor asking his permission to take Callie to the prom; she was Callie's wife. She'd already won the heart of the princess without the consent of the king. That was all that mattered to her.

Callie turned and held up a black cocktail dress, simple but elegant.

Erica nodded. "That's beautiful Cal. Just like the last twenty three were beautiful. It's just dinner."

Callie laughed dryly as she slipped into the dress. "It's not just dinner, it's _the_ dinner. My father holds a lot of weight in this family. What if he's not okay with this?"

Erica got up off the bed and crossed the room. She wrapped her arms around Callie's waist from behind and instantly the brunette sank back into her embrace. "We are going to go down there and get through this dinner. Your dad will like me, or he won't, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Callie smiled in the mirror at their reflection. She turned in Erica's embrace, putting a hand to Erica's cheek. A shadow came across her features. "Erica, I have something to tell you."

Erica felt her breath catch. This was the moment she'd been waiting for. It was all about the next words to come out of Callie's mouth.

"Back when I was in LA…"

A knock interrupted their conversation and Callie pulled away. Idola peeked her head in. "Sorry to interrupt my darlings, but Eduardo has requested your presence prior to when we sit down to eat. I do not think now is the proper time to keep him waiting."

Between the glares from both Callie and Erica, Idola should have deduced that now was not the right time to interrupt. But if she noticed their steely gazes, she paid no attention to them, but rather glanced expectantly between the doctors.

Finally Callie sighed and took Erica's hand, pulling her across the room. "Mama, we were trying to have a very important discussion."

"Lo siento mija, yo se." She stepped aside to let Callie and Erica past. Erica felt that melancholy feeling she'd grown accustomed to. She had finally been about to discover what was burdening Callie and now the moment was lost. Who knew when she'd get this opportunity again?

* * *

Eduardo Torres had learned from his wife many months ago that his daughter was romantically involved. All she had said on the matter at the time was that it was another doctor, a very successful one at that. Of course he had bragged to, well everyone, about his successful daughter and her successful boyfriend. Only recently, two weeks prior to be exact, had Darius let slip that his little Calliope was dating a woman. When he had confronted Idola about it, she said she hadn't really noticed the woman part and that it didn't matter to her. At first he had been appalled at her lack of moral standards and that she had kept such a huge detail from him. But as the two weeks had worn on she had convinced him that Calliope was happy, happier than she had ever been with that little weasel George O'Malley. He was still apprehensive, but he was civil, and he was open to the idea.

Calliope entered the parlor first and he only had eyes for her. He was aware of the woman standing by the door, but he didn't look at her, merely embraced his daughter when she ran to his arms. He instantly flew back in time to the days when she come down from her room as he arrived home from work and greet him with kisses all over his face and a huge hug. They had been that close once. Now, she pulled away all too quickly and rushed back to the woman by the door.

He was forced to look at her now. She was confident, a quality he admired instantly. She didn't back down when faced with a challenge, that was good. She met his gaze and didn't waver. If she was scared, she didn't show it. Calliope grabbed her hand and closed the distance between them.

"Dad, I'd like you to meet Erica Hahn. Erica, this is my father, Eduardo Torres." Calliope looked from him to her, hope with a mix of fear in her eyes. She was begging him to be okay with this. He didn't want to disappoint her, but he also wasn't quite sure he was okay with this either.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Torres, Callie talks about you often." Erica extended a hand smoothly for him to shake.

After a moment's hesitation, he shook it. She hadn't quivered, hadn't called him sir. He would like this woman if she wasn't dating his daughter. He would approve of their friendship, but their relationship was an entirely different story.

He gestured for Erica to take a seat and had to hide a frown when Calliope sat next to her on one of the small couches, very close. She kept her hand tangled with the blonde woman's.

"Would you like anything to drink?" He walked to a wet bar in the corner of the room and pulled out several bottles of liquor.

"We'll just wait for dinner dad." Callie looked at Erica and shook her head to silence her.

"Suit yourself." He poured himself a glass and downed it.

"Dinner is ready." Idola appeared as if to ease the tension. She frowned at her husband, who was pouring himself another glass, but smiled at the girls. "Come on my darlings, we don't want anything getting cold."


	7. Aria's New Man

DISCLAIMER:: not mine. still belongs to shonda and abc studios

A/N:: so, if you're a fan of callie and the callie/arizona pairing, i will be posting my new story 'meet me there' tomorrow, so be sure to look for that. i've been working on developing the story for quite some time now. that being said, here's another update. unfortunately, callie's secret is going to remain unspilled for now, but it is coming, i promise. you will find out what callie has been keeping from erica BEFORE they go back to seattle. reviews appreciated. thanks and enjoy.

* * *

The Torres dining room was like the dining rooms you see in those movies about lonely children with rich parents who neglect them. It was long enough to seat twenty people comfortably. Eduardo took the seat at the head of the table, Idola to his right, Adara to his left. Darius took the seat next to her and Damian the one next to him. Callie sat next to her mother and Erica took the seat next to her across from Damian. It was all very strict and formal and Erica was quick to adopt the apprehension Callie had been feeling earlier.

Dinner at the Torres house reminded Erica of a business meeting more than a gathering of family. The closeness of Callie and her cousins was not visible as they all ate in silence. The food was delicious, but when she'd commented on such, Idola had thanked her warmly and then they'd fell right back into silence. Finally, Eduardo spoke.

"I hear you're quite good at what you do, Dr. Hahn."

Erica nodded. "Some say the best, some say second best."

Eduardo chewed his food thoughtfully for a second then nodded, as if he approved. "That is good. Calliope is lucky to have found someone so successful."

The whole room, Erica included, breathed an internal sigh of relief. He was okay with their relationship, at least for the moment. The mood in the room instantly lifted, with the exception of Adara's. She remained as blank as she always did.

"Aria will arrive the day after tomorrow from Greece." Eduardo smiled at his family, genuinely happy with the news.

Idola's face lit up. "Oh, how wonderful!"

Callie turned to Erica. "You're going to love my sister."

Erica smiled and nodded. "If she's anything like you, I'm sure I will."

Callie looked at her father. "I had no idea she was overseas again."

Eduardo nodded. "Yes. She went on vacation to see her boyfriend's family."

Callie dropped her fork onto her plate, her full attention on her father. "We talked just a few months ago; she didn't tell me she was seeing someone."

Her father shrugged. "It's fairly recent. She ran into him while spending a weekend with friend's in DC."

"She met some random guy, who happened to be from Greece, and just decided they would make a good couple?"

Idola intervened. "Actually mija, he's someone you know, someone we all know."

"And who might that be?" Callie took a sip of wine from Erica's glass.

Damian met Callie's gaze. "Sebastian Skedros."

Callie's eyes grew wide and she nearly spit out the sip of wine in her mouth. "Bastian?"

"She met him in DC and they reconnected. He seemed really interested in her life now and they started dating."

Erica felt Callie tense. "How long now?"

Again Damian had the answer. "Almost three months."

Callie took the napkin off her lap and tossed it on her plate. "And no one thought to mention this to me?"

"Who your sister dates is not your concern Calliope. Who you were dating wasn't any of ours. How does it feel to be out of the loop?" Eduardo had tinges of red snaking up from his neck into his cheeks.

Callie stood. "Oh dad, this is so not the same thing!"

"Yes, Calliope, it is. You did not tell me you were dating a woman because you were afraid of how I would react. Aria did not tell you she was dating Sebastian because she was afraid of how you would react. It is the exact same thing."

Erica's eyes grew wide as Callie and her father went into full verbal war, weaving between Greek, Spanish, English, and back again. Normally she would find this very comical, but Callie looked really upset and her father looked really mad. Finally, Callie pushed back her chair and stormed out of the room.

Erica stood and pushed back her own chair. "If you'll excuse me."

Idola nodded. "Of course dear."

Erica nodded and left the room, heading back up the stairs and to Callie's room. She wasn't there. It didn't take Erica long to realize she'd probably gone to her favorite room in the house, the library.

She slipped in through the door to find Callie curled up on a chair. She crouched down in front of the chair and Callie looked at her. There were a few stray tears in her eyes and a couple on her cheeks. Erica wiped them away.

"You wanna tell me why you're upset?"

Callie shook her head.

"You want to tell me what you were going to before dinner?"

Callie slowly shook her head again.

Erica nodded and looked away. Then she looked back at Callie. "You want me to leave?"

Callie shook her head once more.

"You want me to sit with you?"

Callie nodded. She moved over onto the arm of the chair so Erica could sit down and then curled up in her lap.

Erica kissed the top of her head and ran her hand soothingly up and down her back.

They stayed that way for nearly two hours before Idola came to find them.

She opened the door and tiptoed inside. Callie was asleep in Erica's arms.

"How is she?"

Erica looked down at Callie and then back up at Idola. "She's good. Whatever got her so worked up… I think she's worked through the worst of it. Sleeping always helps."

"I'm sorry for my husband's behavior. He was quite rude and I…"

Erica held up a hand to stop her. "He could have been much worse. He took our relationship much better than I could have hoped."

Idola nodded. "Do you need anything?"

Erica looked at Callie once more and shook her head. "I think we're good here. Thank you Idola."

Callie's mother nodded and smiled at them for a moment before she silently turned and left the room.

It took another three hours before Erica was able to fall asleep.

Callie was the first to wake. She tried to stretch but found that her body was too stiff to move more than a couple inches. She opened her eyes and found that all she saw was blonde hair. Her face was buried deep in Erica's neck, that she could tell, but her mind was too foggy to remember how she got there.

When she lifted her head and saw where they were, she remembered everything.

She looked at Erica and a smile crossed her face. Erica had slept here, in a chair, for her, because she had wanted to throw a tantrum and be upset and be held. She kissed Erica's forehead. The blonde's eyes immediately opened.

"Do you feel better?"

Callie smiled and nodded. "Yes, thank you."

"Your mother came in and apologized for your father."

Callie nodded again. "I should probably apologize too. I overreacted."

"Who is he?"

Callie stood and stretched before she dared answer.

"Bastian and I used to date, when we were younger."

"Was it serious?"

Callie looked over at Erica, who was staring back curiously. "You and I… we're serious. Bastian was nothing." She leaned down and captured Erica's lips.

Erica sank forward into the kiss. She was comforted by Callie's words. The last thing she needed now was a blast from the past ruining what she had.


	8. Tell Her Everyday

DISCLAIMER:: still not mine. belongs to shonda and abc studios

A/N:: a very short update but one i know you guys have been waiting for for a while. yes, that does mean you're about to figure out 'the secret' but you're all gonna have to wait for erica's reaction, because she still doesn't know. coming up next chapter: aria's arrival and subsequent reaction to erica

* * *

"Hello my darling. Where's Erica?" Idola looked up from where she sat reading over some papers in one of the chairs in the parlor.

Callie walked in from the doorway and fell into the chair beside hers. "She's upstairs, taking a nap."

"She had a long night; you both did." Idola set down her papers and looked at Callie intensely over the top of her reading glasses. "Does Aria's choice of boyfriend really bother you that much mija, or is this something that goes much deeper?"

Callie shrugged. "I don't know if it bothers me. No. Yes. I mean, Bastian never showed any interest in her when we were together. He barely even knew she existed."

Idola nodded. "This is true, but she was young then, too young for him to even consider. She was a child to him then Calliope. You were not. And you hurt him, you know that. But what you don't know is Aria corresponded with him after the two of you split, to see if he was doing okay. She even visited him on her next trip to Greece."

"So they've been talking all these years and she never told me? She's unbelievable."

"No, she didn't. After she saw him in Greece, she only wrote one more letter to him. One that explained why they couldn't be friends. But it's been a long time now mija. She knows that you have someone important in your life now. She figured you'd be over it. They ran into each other by chance in DC, the timing was right for both of them. Would you rather she have just let this opportunity to be happy pass her by on the basis that their relationship might offend you?"

Callie sighed again. "No, I guess not." She knew she couldn't be mad at her sister for moving in on a guy she had forgotten about long ago. "You're right. I am over it. Erica is my world now." She smiled. "And she's all I could ever ask for."

Idola smiled. "You really are in love with her, aren't you mija?"

Callie smiled. "When I'm with her… I feel more alive than I ever possibly imagined anyone could feel. It feels powerful and warm and safe." She hugged her arms around herself as if trying to trap that feeling inside her.

"You should tell her that."

Callie shook her head. "I've told her before. She knows."

Idola chuckled. "Mija, the first rule of love is that you can never tell someone 'I love you' too many times. You never know when you're not going to be able to tell them that anymore. Just imagine that her mind erases every night as she sleeps and every morning you have to remind her."

Callie gave her mother a small smile. "I'll try to remember that." She looked down at her hands as she wrung them in her lap. "Mom?"

"Yes mija?"

"Have you ever kept secrets from dad?"

Idola laughed. "Oh all the time. A person requires a certain amount of privacy in their life. And you know just as well as I do that your father has a very short temper."

Callie relaxed a little.

"But, my darling, there is a fine line between storing something away in your head that no one needs to know and keeping something buried that's hurting you. Erica knows you're not telling her something, but that is not what she cares about. She cares that whatever this secret is, it hurts you. She sees you struggle with the weight of it and she wants to relieve you of that stress because she loves you. But by keeping her out, you prevent her from doing that, and in turn, she too gets hurt."

Callie felt tears stinging the corners of her eyes. "I'm afraid of what she'll think of me."

"Erica loves you my darling; she told me so herself. When you love someone, you understand."

"But what if she doesn't?"

"You will cross that bridge when you come to it. You are stronger than your fear Calliope, I know because that is how I raised you."

Callie nodded and wiped her tears away. She stood and leaned down to hug her mother. "Thanks Mom."

"Your welcome my darling."

Callie smiled and turned for the door. "I don't think I've reminded Erica that I love her yet today."

Idola watched her daughter walk away with a smile. "Don't forget to tell her you're pregnant too."

Callie nearly choked on the air flowing in and out of her lungs, but she kept on walking and decided to pretend she didn't hear what her mother had just said.

When she made it up to her room, she saw Erica was still sleeping. She smiled at the woman who had turned her world upside down. She crawled under the covers and draped Erica's arm around her waist. Erica instantly tightened the arm and snuggled into her. "Is it time to get up yet?"

She smiled. "Not yet." She bit down on her bottom lip. "Erica?"

"Mm-hmm?" Erica was already starting to fall back to sleep.

"I love you."

Erica smiled, even through her state of half-sleep. "I love you too."


	9. No More Secrets

DISCLAIMER:: not mine. belongs to shonda and abc studios.

A/N:: again, sorry for the lack of updates. there should be a couple to each story by the end of the week.

* * *

"Erica dear, I'm so glad you're up." Idola fluttered into the kitchen not missing a beat as she grabbed a teapot and filled it with water from the tap, setting it on the stove and turning the heat up.

"I made coffee."

Idola smiled. "That was very thoughtful of you, however, I myself have never understood the attraction to such a, pardon me for saying, repulsive taste."

Erica looked at her as if she heard of the myth of the non-coffee drinker but had never actually entertained the idea of believing it.

"I wanted to ask you if you would mind accompanying me to the airport today to retrieve my daughter. I think it will be beneficial for you both if she has time to get to know you before she sees you with Calliope. It might be less of a shock on her. Besides, I think it would be nice for Calliope to have her own time to prepare. She hasn't seen Sebastian Skedros in a long time and things ended rather badly between them. " She grabbed a tea bag and a mug.

Erica was surprised by Idola's bluntness. It was the first she'd ever heard Callie's mother hint of someone not accepting Callie and her relationship. But she guessed she was naïve if she had expected no resistance from Callie's family.

"Um, I have to ask Cal, but I don't see why she'd have a problem with it."

Idola's unwavering smile widened as the teapot whistled. She poured some steaming water into her mug. "Fabulous. We have to leave in an hour. Make sure you're ready." And with that, she fluttered out just as quickly as she'd drifted in.

As soon as Erica finished her own coffee, she poured a fresh cup and made her way through the house and upstairs to wake Callie.

The room was dark when she entered. She wasn't surprised. Callie's years of residency had did little to alleviate her aversion to mornings. She set down the cup of coffee and went to sit on the edge of the bed next to the sleeping Callie. She watched her as she slept for several minutes before she dared to wake her. But her time was limited, so she pushed Callie's hair behind her ear and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "Wake up Cal."

Callie shifted, rolling onto her side and looking up at Erica through half open lids. "What time is it?"

"Just after nine."

Callie groaned and pulled the blankets over her head. "Leave me alone if you value your life."

Erica switched tactics. "You're mother asked me to go with her to pick your sister up from the airport."

There was a couple long moments of silence, probably in which Callie was weighing her options on how to respond, before Callie threw off the blankets and sat up. "She didn't say anything about it yesterday."

"That's probably because she wants you to stay here."

Callie looked at her for a long moment. "You didn't say no right away?"

Erica shrugged. "Your mother can be very persuasive. But I did tell her I would have to clear it with you first."

Callie slid out from under the covers and stood. She crossed the room to where the pictures lined her wall. She pointed to one near the middle. Erica stood and came to her side, looking at the photo to which she was pointing. It was so obviously her prom photo. Standing next to a glowing Callie was the definition of tall, dark and handsome.

"He asked me to the prom when we were freshmen. We weren't even dating yet, but he said he didn't want me to be that girl worrying if anyone was going to ask her. He said I could always go with someone else if they asked me when the time came, but he wanted me to have that security. It was the first truly nice thing a boy ever did for me."

Erica couldn't help but feel a little jealous at the smile of remembrance on Callie's face. This was Sebastian. Idola had said things ended badly, but Erica saw no hint of sadness on Callie's face.

"You okay?"

"What?" Erica snapped out of her thoughts and realized that Callie was staring at her with concern. "Oh, um, yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking." She gave Callie what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

"Tonight, before dinner, I think we should go for a walk on the beach. You've been so good to me for such a long time now and I'm done keeping you in the dark. I want to get back to the way we were before all this drama. I know it's not possible to be those people again, not after all we've lived through, not after the losses we've suffered or the things we've gained. But that doesn't mean that I can't try to remember how it felt to be your best friend and your lover. I don't want to make that mistake; I don't want to shut you out. You don't deserve it and it's not what I want. I want to share everything with you, so from this point on, I'm going to try to do just that."

Erica raised an eyebrow. "Where's all this coming from?"

Callie smiled. "Tonight at dinner I want to announce our wedding plans and if that's going to happen I need to go into this with a clear conscience. I don't want any secrets between us."

* * *

Aria Torres had heard through several phone calls from home about her sister's various exploits on the west coast. Callie didn't come home at all during her internship and by the time that was over and she could get the vacation time, Aria had already gone off to college. The talked on the phone from time to time, but Callie usually just let her talk about her life rather than divulging any personal facts about her own. But Aria heard every single update from her mother. First her marriage to that irish boy. Then their divorce. And now this fling with a woman. Aria had never been to the west coast but if her sister's life was anything to judge by, it was a little crazy over there.

"Ari."

Aria looked over and found herself staring at her boyfriend's waist. She looked up.

"We're here."

Aria stood and took her carryon from the overhead bin. She grabbed Sebastian's hand and let him lead the way out.


	10. Always The Last To Know

DISCLAIMER:: not mine. still belongs to shonda rhimes and abc studios.

A/N:: here is the moment you've been waiting for.

* * *

Erica had never seen anyone as gorgeous as Aria Torres outside of magazines and television. She was taller than Callie by a few inches and slimmer. Dressed in just tight fitting jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt, she made casual seem glamorous. The man, obviously her senior by a few years, on her arm did nothing to help her blend in, handsome as he was. But aside from her father's confidence and her mother's smile, the most striking thing about Aria was her eyes. Unlike anyone else Erica had met in the Torres family so far, Aria had the most exquisite dark green eyes. They caught Erica's gaze and held it as the couple crossed the terminal to where Idola and Erica were waiting.

"Ariana, Sebastian." Idola hugged each of them in turn, her voice laced with emotion as she continued to greet them in greek.

Aria separated herself from her mother's embrace and smiled at Erica. "Erica Hahn I presume. I'm Ariana, but you can call me Aria."

Erica expected her to offer a hand in greeting but she didn't. Erica smiled back at her. "It's a pleasure."

Aria's smile widened and she stepped forward pulling Erica into a gentle hug. "The pleasure's all mine, ours." She pulled away and glanced over at Sebastian, who was talking heatedly with Idola.

Erica silently cursed herself for not making more of an effort to learn Greek, or Spanish for that matter. She knew words here or there but she was fluent in neither.

"Babe?"

Sebastian looked up at the sound of Aria's voice.

"Come over here and meet Erica."

Sebastian waved over at Erica in greeting, his face friendly but far from cheerful and then returned to his discussion.

Aria waved his actions off as if they were nothing. "He's been a brat since yesterday, don't take it personally."

Erica offered to sit in the front seat on the ride home so Aria and Bastian could take the spacious backseat for themselves, but neither Aria nor Bastian would hear anything of it. Aria insisted on interrogating Erica about her and Callie's relationship from beginning to current.

"Where'd you two meet?" Aria buckled up and twisted her body towards Erica and settled in for the long haul.

"We work together. Originally though, we met while she was dating George O'Malley. I was called over from Seattle Presbyterian by Dr. O'Malley to perform surgery on his father. We met briefly in passing but I honestly didn't give her a second thought until much much later."

"So you got close after you transferred to Seattle Grace?"

"Yes, but even then not right away."

Aria tilted her head to the side curiously. "What do you mean? Why not?"

Erica shrugged. "I'm not exactly the easiest person to get to know."

Aria smiled. "I find that hard to believe."

"It's true. It took a while, but the second I gave her chance, Callie worked her way in." Erica shook her head and smiled at the memory of that first night at Joe's.

"Calliope was always that way. She gets under your skin until you can't help but love her." The heavily accented voice of Sebastian Skedros shocked the women into silence.

Erica watched Aria's face sink out of the corner of her eye. She, though she had no clue why, reached over and grabbed Aria's hand to squeeze it comfortingly.

Aria's smile returned and she squeezed back.

No one said anything the rest of the way back to the house. None of them wanted to answer Sebastian's comment and he was content to remain silent.

"Dad's home." Aria seemed to light up when she noticed another car in the huge driveway.

Idola seemed thrown off by this. "I thought he said he wouldn't be home until later tonight."

Once the car pulled to a complete stop Aria unbuckled herself, opened the door and slid out. Erica followed. They could hear the yelling before they opened the front door. Erica picked out Callie's voice and her father's, but she couldn't make out what was being said because they were yelling in Spanish.

Idola barged through the front doors and immediately went to work trying to create peace. Callie was crying on the stairs and her father was at the bottom. His face was bright red and he was clutching what appeared to be a magazine in his hand.

Erica immediately went up the stairs to where Callie was still crying. She pulled the younger woman into her arms and rubbed her back gently. "It's okay Cal, it's okay."

"What is the problem here?" Idola stepped up to her husband. Her voice was calm but her eyes flashed with anger. "Your daughters are both in the same house for the first time in years and you seem intent to ruin it."

Eduardo Torres said nothing but shoved the crumpled magazine into his wife's hand.

She looked it over. "Oh dear. Oh my."

Aria frowned and left Sebastian's side to look over her mom's shoulder. Once her green eyes had flashed across the cover of the magazine she looked, not at Callie, but her mother. She took a defensive step back from her mother. "You didn't tell me that on the phone. You told me Callie had a girlfriend and that it was serious, but you never said anything about a baby."

In a matter of five seconds, several things happened at once. Eduardo's face grew to an even deeper shade of red and he started yelling in Spanish again. Idola got right back into his face, telling him to calm down. Aria looked confused. Sebastian looked amused. Callie started crying harder and Erica pushed her away.

Erica had never even broached the thought of kids in her head. She'd never even taken the time to think about how she felt about them. That was until Callie. Briefly, after the had first married, she had thought about kids. And then she had stopped, deciding it would be better to never have one. Because of who she was with, it was really an unexpected risk, and Callie had never seemed that interested in parenthood. So she had buried it away, a topic for later, if ever.

But now everything clicked. Callie… her manic exercising, her emotional distance, her mood swings, her random sickness, her… her weekly lunches with Ethan. Callie had been lying to her. On something that was affecting her life too. She shook her head.

Callie saw it then, in Erica's eyes, the betrayal. She saw Erica shutting herself off. Callie threw herself at Erica. "Please, Erica, I'm so sorry."

Erica pushed her off and shook her head. "No." She set off down the stairs and out the front door, letting her feet carry her wherever they may.

Inside Callie crumpled on the staircase.


	11. The Easy Life

DISCLAIMER:: not mine. still belongs to shonda rhimes and abc studios.

A/N:: drama is my middle name. well actually it's caitlin, but you get the idea. i love the stuff. marriage is not without challenges and i plan to deliver plenty of them. mostly in the form of bastian skedros and ariana torres, plus a few surprise guests later on. hopefully it makes for a good story.

* * *

Callie's sobs were all that filled the Torres household. Everything else was silent. For several minutes no one moved, they barely breathed. Finally, it was Sebastian who broke the inactivity. He pushed past the family at the bottom of the staircase where they were frozen and made his way up the stairs to the sobbing form. He kneeled down and scooped Callie up effortlessly. Her arms found their way around his neck, her face fit easily in the nape of his neck… they seemed to fit together perfectly. He carried her the rest of the way up the stairs and disappeared down the hallway leading to her room.

Idola cleared her throat the second they were out of sight. "Eduardo, go to your office, I will meet you there." Her tone was hard and though he seemed almost as if he would challenge it, he didn't. He turned and disappeared towards the back of the house. Idola turned to Aria. "I need you to find Erica. She couldn't have gotten far."

Aria frowned, an action she rarely did, and shook her head. "How am I supposed to know where she'd go? She's Callie's girlfriend."

"Does it look as if your sister is in any shape to go after her? Now you will go and find her Ariana; this will be fixed. Believe me, you do not want to return without that woman, for your sister's sake, and for your own." Idola turned and walked away, leaving Aria alone in the entry hall.

She sighed and turned for the door, glad she was already in casual clothes. Opting against taking one of the cars out to look for the blonde she pocketed her phone and set out. Outside the door, she paused. "If I was upset, where would I go?" It came to her almost immediately. She knew where Erica was without a moment of searching.

* * *

Callie was out from exhaustion by the time Sebastian set her down on her bed and tucked her in. He never left the room through the several hours she slept. The sun arched through the sky and made its slow descent. The boys, Idola, and even Eduardo filed in and out of the room at random times to give updates and see if she was okay, but no one stayed longer than a minute, almost as if they were afraid that sadness and misery were contagious.

When Callie finally woke, calm for the first time all morning, the first thing she saw was Sebastian examining her picture wall.

"She's not back yet, before you start asking. Ariana left to look for her less than ten minutes after she left but neither has returned or called."

Callie thought she might start crying again, but she found that she was too burnt out for tears.

"Life used to be so uncomplicated for us Callie."

Callie sighed. She pushed off her covers and got up. When she came to stand beside Sebastian, she leaned her head on his shoulder. "It was always simple for us, wasn't it?"

Bastian smiled. "Yes, it was. I don't think we ever even fought until that night."

Callie shook her head. "Sometimes I wish life were that easy. It would be nice to be that sure again."

Before Callie processed what was happening, she was wrapped up in Bastian's arms and his lips were on hers. When he finally let her go, he smiled. "It could be."

* * *

"I had a feeling I might find you here." Aria approached Erica slowly, trying to gauge her mood. "Mind if I join you?"

Erica looked at Aria from the ground up, analyzing her intent. Finally, she nodded.

Aria sat down right next to the blonde. She said nothing. It wasn't fair to judge what Erica might be feeling, and she honestly had no idea what might be going through the older woman's head.

They sat in silence for over an hour, neither ready to engage the other in conversation. Erica, surprising herself, was the first to break the silence.

"How did you know where I would be?"

Aria took her eyes off the view and looked at Erica. "I just asked myself where I would have gone. I always came here when I wanted to get away in a city full of people."

Erica nodded. "I can't imagine that was often."

Aria chuckled. It thawed Erica's heart just a little. "More often then you'd think actually. See, I wasn't the most attractive girl growing up. All this…" She gestured down her body. "It happened the summer between my junior and senior years of high school. I left wearing glasses, a mouth full of braces, and short for my age. When I returned to school I was nearly a foot taller, filled out, the braces were gone along with the glasses. I wasn't even lucky enough to be smarter than Calliope in school. I had the worst younger sibling complex you could ever imagine. I was always trying to escape her shadow."

The sides of Erica's mouth turned up just a little; she could understand that. She was forever trying to live up to Kayla's legacy. "You didn't turn out all that bad you know."

Aria chuckled. "Thanks, I think. You're not horribly awful yourself."

Now that she was a little more relaxed and genuinely in good company, she felt herself loosen up on the anger and betrayal she was letting fester inside her. "Did you come to take me back?"

Aria was quiet for a moment. "I was sent to bring you back, but no, I don't intend to take you anywhere you're not ready to go."

Erica met Aria's eyes. "Thank you."

Aria smiled. "Anytime." She looked back towards the ocean, rubbing the sand off her hands. "Do you mind if I keep you company?"

Erica nodded. "I think I'd like that."


	12. Say Okay

DISCLAIMER:: not mine. belongs to shonda and abc studios

A/N:: sorry, sorry, sorry. that word seems to be coming from my lips more often than not lately. between a seven month old, a full time job, and my agent's deadlines, i am one busy lady. normally my writing is the last thing to go but with a broken laptop and then a very long business trip to texas, i fear my fics have bore the brunt of my neglect. i have returned to my breezy west coast existence and though i still have the constraints of my job, i have found enough free time to start writing again and even to get a personal trainer. bye bye baby weight, hello upper body strength.

* * *

"Do you really believe that was the smartest move Eduardo?" Idola slammed the door behind herself as she entered her husband's in-home office.

He shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Idola broke her normally calm composure, her cheeks burning with heat as anger gripped her. "Eduardo Rafael Torres, do not play dumb with me! I will not tolerate it!"

Eduardo's own face grew red as he glared at his wife. "She is our daughter! She used to tell us everything about her life! Now, I have to wait until I see it on the cover of some magazine to know what is going on in her life?"

"I understand your… disappointment in our daughter. I am disappointed too, very much so, but do you truly believe that verbally attacking our daughter is the right way to go about voicing your feelings?" Idola sighed and sat down in an empty armchair. "You are a passionate man in everything you do Eduardo, that is why I fell for you. You are only so easily frustrated because you care, but you must learn when to reign in your temper. It will be the downfall of this family. Calliope may have much to answer for, but she is also going through a personal struggle and deserves our understanding, if only because she's our daughter."

* * *

Callie pushed herself forcefully out of Bastian's arms. "What do you think you're doing?"

Bastian reached out for her. "Please Callie, listen to me. We once had something so special, both you and I know it. Why can't we go back to how things used to be?"

Callie shook her head. "Because I'm in love with someone else. You had your chance once. I would have married you Bastian; I would have spent my life with you."

"You still can. I'm ready to make sacrifices now. I'm older, we both are; I know what I want."

Callie shook her head. "That's right Bastian, we are older. We've both grown up; we've gone down different paths. I am a different person than the girl you knew."

Sebastian took a step forward and she took one back. "Are you really so different Callie? Because I don't see it. I look at you and I still see a woman who looks at the world and wants to make it better. I still see the woman I fell in love with all those years ago and I'm not going to give up on her." He turned and left the room.

Callie took a seat on her bed and felt as if she might cry, but the tears didn't come.

* * *

"This city is not that big! Where are they?" Eduardo Torres was screaming loud enough for everyone in a fifteen mile vicinity to hear, as he had been all afternoon.

"I told Ariana not to come back until she had Erica with her."

"She's been gone for seven hours! Where'd she go to look? Seattle? The moon?"

Idola rolled her eyes. "Maybe Erica's just not ready to come back and deal with this. Calliope should have been free to tell Erica this herself and you had to ruin it."

"What do you expect when I have to find out of my daughter being pregnant from a magazine? I raised her to be honest with me!"

"Why should she when this is how you react?" Idola stamped her foot in anger. After a moment she sighed. "I don't want to fight with you Eduardo; it will do nothing to remedy the situation. But I think you should apologize to your daughter, and quite possibly to Erica once Aria returns with her. Calliope meant well, and she is your child. We are going to be grandparents, Eduardo, and Calliope needs our support, especially if she is not able to make things work with Erica."

"Ah, Sebastian, how is she?" Idola caught Sebastian at the bottom of the grand staircase. It was the first time she'd seen him emerge from the room all day.

"She's asleep." He was quick to lie, not wanting to mention their conversation. "I thought I'd take advantage of the moment and come down to get something to eat before she wakes up. Have they returned?"

Idola frowned and glanced at the clock on the foyer wall. "Not yet I'm afraid. Where could they be?" She lowered her voice so her husband couldn't hear. "Eduardo was worried and I told him it was nothing, to just calm down, girls will be girls and all that, but now I'm starting to get worried."

* * *

"You ready? It's dark out." Aria looked up at the darkened sky and then at Erica. They had spent the day getting to know each other. Time had flown by while they realized they genuinely enjoyed each other's company. They had covered much of each other's lives in basic details and much to both their delight managed to avoid the situation that had brought them there.

"You can go back. I think I want a couple more hours." Erica buried her feet in the sand and turned her gaze on the waves though Aria doubted she could really see the individual arcs of water in the darkness.

"You waiting for her to fall asleep?"

Erica frowned. "If I know Callie, she won't sleep tonight."

"You're probably right, so why delay the inevitable?" Aria's tone wasn't pushy, she was just curious.

Erica wrung her hands in her lap for a moment before answering. "She is going to expect an answer, some confirmation or rejection. I'm not ready to answer her questions; I have no answers. If I knew how I felt about all this, I'd tell her. But I don't know."

Aria shrugged. "If this didn't cause you to pause and evaluate, I would be worried. This isn't an easy decision. A baby… it's a lot to take in." She leaned forward so she could look up into Erica's eyes. "My sister is lucky to have you, very lucky. She knows that. I know it wasn't easy for her to make the decisions she's made and I'm certain that her love for you, as foreign as it may sound to you or I, is the reason she kept this from you."

Erica looked away. "That doesn't tell me what the right answers are."

"Nor is it meant to. But in my experience we tend to search for the solutions to life's problems here…" Aria put a hand to Erica's forehead, "when, more often than not, all the answers are right here." She then put her hand on the left side of Erica's chest. "Listen to your heart… does it still belong to Callie?"

* * *

"I never want to be a mom." Erica leaned against the doorframe. The house was silent, everyone already asleep, though somehow Erica had known she wouldn't be.

Callie looked up sharply, her eyes brimming with tears. "You came back."

"I never want to be a mom."

Callie felt her chest constrict. Somehow, she had found a little hope that things might actually work out if they'd just have the opportunity to talk but that prospect looked dismal with Erica's words. "I understand."

"But I also never wanted to be a wife." Erica shrugged but didn't move closer. "Things changed when I met you Callie. You turned my world upside down; everything that was impossible instantly became a possibility. I never though anything could get in the way of my ambitions, my career, my plans. Then you happened and in a moment I had new ambitions, new plans. That scared me to death… but that never gave made me run the other direction… until now."

Callie wanted Erica next to her. She wanted the safety of her arms, the security of her embrace, but she held herself back, knowing now was the worst time to press her luck. "I didn't ask for this. I don't want to put my career on hold and heaven knows what it'll do to my figure."

Erica almost let a smile escape her but kept it at bay at the last moment.

Callie sighed. "I didn't want this, not so soon, but it's happening. I have no choice now."

Erica finally stepped fully into the room and closed the door. The distance between them had decreased but not enough that they could reach each other and both women seemed depressed by the fact. Erica took a couple steps forward until she was within a few precious feet of where Callie sat on the edge of her bed. "I love you Cal, so much… but I can only promise to try."

Callie hung her head. "I und… Try?" She looked up, not quite believing her ears. "That's all I can ask of you."

Erica stared at Callie from her position four feet away. It took forever for her to respond. "Okay."

"Please don't tell me all this if you don't mean it." Callie hung her head once more, still prepared to hear Erica retract her statement.

Erica finally stepped up to her and put a hand under her chin, lifting Callie's face until their eyes met. "You own my heart Cal and I'd rather try and fail than give up and destroy the best thing in my life. Okay?"

Callie finally smiled and slowly nodded. "Okay."


	13. Sex Hair

DISCLAIMER:: not mine. belongs to shonda rhimes and abc studios

A/N:: i once heard that all parents believe their children to be exceptionally smart. i always thought that was true. but as i sit here and watch my little boy stick his foot in his mouth and knaw on it, i retract that belief. i love him but he is doomed to be of average intelligence. but that has nothing to do with this so i shall get back to the point at hand. an update. yay! i've had chapter written out for over a week now, but sadly, work has consumed all opportunities to type up what i have. more to come.

WARNING:: this chapter includes a sexual encounter. it's not at all graphic but i felt the need to inform just in case.

* * *

They spent the night discussing the topic of honesty and the serious lack of it in their relationship. Callie knew she could no longer keep it from Erica what had transpired between her and Sebastian not only the previous day but in the past as well.

"Bastian kissed me yesterday." Okay, so maybe waiting until the last minute when they were laying side by side and Erica was just starting to doze off was not her most brilliant idea ever.

"Excuse me?" Erica sat up and looked down at Callie.

"I didn't ask him to or anything like that. There wasn't some intimate moment that deemed it appropriate. He just did it."

"And?"

Callie shrugged. "I pushed him off, he pled his case, I told him I was in love with you now, that his choice was gone, and then he left."

Erica frowned deeply and ran her fingers down the length of Callie's arm. "You say all that like it's nothing."

"That's because it is nothing."

Erica's frown seemed to deepen, her face contorting with a wave of oncoming sadness. "Is it?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Callie sat up until her eyes were level with Erica's, there faces mere inches apart.

Erica was the first to drop her gaze. "That wasn't meant to be accusational, I promise. You just… I know better than anyone that the past sneaks up on you and sometimes it's just not as simple as 'it's over'."

Callie bit her upper lip and nodded. "Bastian and I were something once. He was the first guy besides my father that I truly cared for. After high school we talked about spending the rest of our lives together. But then he got word from Greece with this amazing opportunity. He wanted to go, I didn't. I begged him to stay, promised that if he did I'd marry him right away. He walked away." Callie put a finger under Erica's chin and used it to direct the blonde's gaze back to her own. "This time it is _just that simple_. I want to be with one person for the rest of my life and it's not Sebastian Skedros. He made his choice a long time ago, and I for one am glad he did because that's allowed me to make mine. I love you Erica. I want to walk down the aisle and tell the world that and I want to have a family. I want it with you. The future… _my _future, doesn't mean anything if you're not a part of it."

Erica studied Callie's eyes intently for over a minute.

"That was a cue to kiss me, just in case you missed that." Callie smiled.

Erica couldn't help it, she smiled involuntarily. She leaned in and captured Callie's lips for a short, soft kiss.

When she pulled away Callie sighed. "Better late than never I suppose."

Erica chuckled. She laid back down and held open her arms, which Callie promptly fell down into.

"You never told me what you did all day." Callie grabbed one of Erica's hands and places a soft kiss on her palm.

"I spent the day down at the beach."

"And Aria never found you? I would have figured she'd look there first." Callie played with Erica's fingers.

"She did actually. We spent the day together, hiding from reality."

"Oh." Callie tensed momentarily but the rigidness left almost as quickly as it came. "And how was that?"

Erica smiled. "There are worse people in the world to pass time with."

"Well I'm glad you two are getting along. I thought you guys might like each other."

Erica was quite for a few moments. "She wants to marry Sebastian Cal. She thinks he might be the one."

Callie dropped Erica's hand abruptly. "She can't do that. He kissed me. I mean, not to sound arrogant, but I have this funny feeling he's not quite over me."

Erica wrapped her arms tighter around Callie and sighed. "I know, but we're treading on dangerous ground here. Women are never quick to think the worst of their men when the warning comes from someone else."

"You never want to believe the worst about the person you love. I didn't believe my suspicions about George until it was thrust right in my face."

Erica kissed the top of Callie's head. "Do you think we should tell her?"

Callie sighed. "I don't know."

"Well I'm going to leave the decision in your hands. She's your sister and you know her much better than I do."

"How can I not tell her? But… on the other hand, how do I even begin to start **that **conversation?"

Erica had no answers. She knew Callie didn't expect them from her but she still felt guilty that her mind came up blank.

"Erica?"

"What is it Cal?"

Callie twisted in Erica's arms. "Promise me that if you ever find yourself in love with someone else you'll tell me. Don't try to save it, because if you feel that way then it's already gone. I don't want you to do that to me, and especially not to yourself."

Erica pushed a loose strand behind Callie's ear and kissed her gently. "There is no one else and there will never be anyone else. I'm done Cal. I found you and all that's left is spending the rest of our lives together."

Callie slowly nodded. "Okay."

"We're going to discuss everything, I promise. There's a lot we have to talk about, but I think we should save that for our return to Seattle."

Callie yawned but nodded.

Erica smiled, suddenly feeling rather tired herself. "Good, then let's get some sleep. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a big day."

Callie didn't wake until early afternoon. Erica was nowhere to be seen as she sat up in bed and for a moment Callie's chest constricted and she felt the flow of air into her lungs start to cut off. It couldn't have been a dream, couldn't it? But just as she felt the depression seep in, Erica walked in, a towel wrapped around her body, drying her hair with a second. Callie smiled widely.

When she noticed Callie's grin, her right eyebrow rose "What?"

Callie smirked and gave Erica a come hither look.

Erica knew that look. She shook her head but smiled. "I just took a shower Cal."

"Hmm, let me try to care… nope, sorry, I tried." Callie shrugged sheepishly.

"My body, my choice."

"You'll be unable to resist me."

Erica guffawed. "Is that fact?" She picked up a brush and started brushing out her mostly dry hair.

Callie nodded. She pulled off the oversized Johns Hopkins t-shirt of Erica's she almost always wore to bed. She was braless underneath.

Erica momentarily glanced away. She forced herself to return Callie's challenging gaze. It took almost all her willpower to maintain her focus. "Tempting, very tempting but not irresistible."

Callie smirked. From Erica's point of view it seemed as if she were wiggling under the covers. A moment later Callie produced a lacy undergarment from beneath the covers and Erica realized a blanket and empty air were all that separated her from Callie's now completely nude form. Callie dropped her underwear next to the nightshirt of the floor.

Erica's swallow was almost audible, but she managed to maintain her distance. "Still not irresistible."

"Really?" Callie quirked an eyebrow. "So you're sticking with that huh?"

Erica swallowed hard again and nodded.

Callie shrugged. "Oh well. I guess I just have to take care of myself then."

Erica's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "Excuse me?"

Callie shrugged again. "Well if you can't help me relieve this… pressure, then I have to help myself." Her hand disappeared beneath the sheets. A moment later she bit her bottom lip and her eyes fluttered closed as she hit her sweet spot.

Erica almost felt her legs give way beneath her. Callie wasn't playing fair. She let her towel drop and approached the bed. She crawled under the covers and straddled Callie. Callie's eyes shot open and she stalled her movements though she didn't remove her hand.

Erica's own hand slid down Callie's body until it found the raven haired surgeon's own. Together they both thrust into Callie's and her eyes fell closed again. It wasn't long before they both brought her to her climax together.

It was aggressive, it was hot, the kind of sex two people have when they're just starting to explore the physical aspect of their relationship. When they were done they both lay panting, exhausted from the exertion.

When her breathing calmed Callie broke into a huge grin. "I told you that you wouldn't be able to resist me."

Erica turned towards Callie and kissed her. "I don't believe there will ever come a day where I don't find you irresistible."

Callie pulled Erica back down the second she tried to pull away from the kiss. She could spend forever being this close to Erica and she wanted to. "I still want to have a wedding."

Erica smiled. "I know."

A knock came then. Aria entered with a hand clasped firmly over her eyes and closed the door behind her.

"Sorry to, um, interrupt. I just wanted to give you guys fair warning. Mom is on her way up."

Erica and Callie exchanged shocked glances.

"Shit!" Callie jumped up and grabbed the first clean pair of clothes she could find. She tossed Erica the outfit she had laid out before her shower. They scrambled into the clean garments and then perched on the bed a safe distance from each other.

"It's safe to look now. Come stand over here and pretend like we've been gabbing."

Aria came and sat between them Indian style just as Idola opened the door.

"Good, you girls are finally up. Erica, it's good to see you back home where you belong and in such good spirits."

Erica smiled and gave a nod of acknowledgement.

"Eduardo and I would be thrilled if you would join us for dinner tonight. I know your experience with that particular meal here hasn't exactly been pleasant but I assure you my husband will be on his best behavior."

"And what of Bastian?" Callie's tone was dark.

Aria's gaze snapped to her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Callie hesitated. "Nothing."

Idola seemed oblivious to any tension in the room.

"We'd be happy to join you." Erica smiled.

Idola beamed. "Fabulous. I'll make preparations." She turned to leave. "Oh and Calliope?"

"Yeah mom?"

"Nice… what is it you kids call it… sex hair?" She departed promptly, leaving Callie with a horrified expression.

Aria broke out into a fit of laughter the second the door closed. Once she gained her composure the tiniest bit, she tried to breathe to calm her laughter. "Mom so called you guys out."

Callie looked at Erica over the top of Aria's head as another round of laughs consumed her younger sister.

Erica nodded at the unspoken words between them. They both grabbed pillows and smacked Aria with them at the same time.

Aria's laughter ended abruptly. She glanced between them. "Oh, it's on."


	14. A Wild Night in Miami

DISCLAIMER:: still not mine. belongs to shonda and abc

A/N:: sorry it took so long. my sister's fiance left her and it's led to a roller coaster ride this past several months. anyways, this update is short but sweet and i have the next couple chapters already typed up so there will be more updates sooner rather than later... i'm shooting for three within the next week. hope you guys are still reading and enjoy this new update!

-/-

Callie vigorously scrubbed at the stain spreading across her ivory blouse to no avail. Aria knocked aside Sebastian's outstretched hand from where she was on the floor. Idola picked up shards of the ruined vase where it lie, scattered across the floor by the wall. Eduardo Torres stalked out of the room, his face as red as any of them had ever seen it. And in the middle of it all, Erica toasted the air and took a sip of her wine.

-/-

2 Hours Earlier

"What do you think about this?" Callie held up a fitted ivory blouse and black skirt in front of her so Erica could see.

"Don't you think silk's a little fancy for dinner with your family?"

Callie sighed and tossed the outfit on the bed next to Erica. "This is not just any dinner. This is the last dinner. We fly back to Seattle tomorrow and dinner last night went so well; I just want to leave things on a good note."

"And you think that outfit's gonna do that for you?" Erica raised an eyebrow.

Callie nodded. "Sometimes to my father, appearance is everything."

"Tonight's important to you, isn't it?" Erica grabbed Callie's hand.

Callie nodded. "When Aria graduates from college, she plans to travel, and I have a feeling if things work out between her and Bastian, possibly even if they don't, she'll want to move to Greece. And with the baby… I just want to remember this trip as good. Who knows when everyone will be together again?"

-/-

Erica found Idola out on the back terrace, looking out at the water. The older woman smiled when she saw the blonde shut the back door.

"What brings you out here?"

Erica came to a stop next to Callie's mother and followed her steady gaze out to the waves. "It's a great place to think, which is probably why you're here."

Idola smiled and glanced at Erica. "Guilty as charged. The waves calm me, help clear my mind. They always have."

Erica let a comfortable silence fall between them, granting Idola a little bit longer with a clear mind before she clouded it up again.

"I was hoping to discuss something with you."

Idola turned her full attention to Erica, the ocean instantly forgotten. "What is it dear?"

Erica smiled. "How would you feel about a wedding?"

-/-

"What's up with my mother?" Callie whispered to Erica as they waited while the hostess found their reservation.

"What do you mean?"

"She's practically floating. Maybe she's high."

"Cal…"

"What? I'm just saying I'd like a bit of whatever it is she's on."

There wasn't time to argue the issue further, as they were being led towards a semi-private room where VIP's dined when they wanted a modicum of privacy.

They arranged themselves accordingly. Callie and Erica took the side by the door, Bastian and Aria sat across from them with their backs to the wall, and Eduardo and Idola took each end. Once the wine was poured, conversations fell into a smooth rhythm as everybody shared their upcoming plans. Bastian was going back to Greece for a family get together. Aria was going to accompany him but return early for school. Eduardo would go about his days as he always did, as would Idola. Then it fell to Callie and Erica to share their plans.

Idola grinned at her daughter. "So, Calliope dear, what do you and Erica have planned once you get back to Seattle?"

Callie took a sip of water and cleared her throat. "I'm not sure. Erica and I will return to work of course, and we'll have to prepare, appointments with the doctor and such." Her gaze shifted to the faint hint of a bump that had formed below her waistline.

"Any other plans?"

Callie's brow furrowed in confusion. "Um, no, I can't really think…"

Erica held up a hand to stop her mid-sentence. She hadn't wanted to bring the news up this early in the night but if she didn't spill the beans now, Idola would.

"Actually, we do have other plans. Cal and I…"

"They're going to get married! And I get to plan the wedding!" Idola interrupted.

Callie looked between her mother and Erica as if they were both crazy. The redness was already creeping up Eduardo's neck.

"That's wonderful!" Aria smiled. "Bastian isn't that wonderful?"

"Not as wonderful as this." Bastian pulled a small royal blue velvet box from his dinner jacket. He popped it open to a the sparkling ring inside.

The whole table froze in shock with the exception of Bastian and Eduardo, who was beaming with pride.

"Ariana Torres, will you marry me?" He slipped off his seat and to one knee beside her.

Aria nodded, smiling. "Yes."

Callie and Erica met each other's eyes and both could tell they felt the same thing, dread.

The conversation became tense then. Aria was dreamily focused on the ring around her finger. Eduardo and Idola were both beaming and Callie shared wordless conversation with Erica.

"Sebastian is a good man Ariana. He came to me last night after dinner and told me of his plans, asked for your hand and my blessing. He did things as they should be done."

Idola frowned in her husband's direction. "So did Erica. She came to me."

Callie and Erica both made a mutual decision not to inform Callie's parents that they were, in fact, already married. No need to start WWIII over a technicality.

"We could do a double wedding!" Aria suddenly broke from her silence with an excited smile.

"NO!" Erica and Callie said at the same time.

"Why not?" Bastian tried to hide an amused smirk and act like he wanted to consider the possibility.

"Let's just drop it." Callie eyed the glass of wine Erica was sipping with the longing of someone deprived.

"No, I want to know." Aria started in.

"Please, just let it go."

"Why can't you just give us a reas…"

"Because Sebastian kissed me!" Callie blurted it out to cut Aria off.

Aria rolled her eyes. "It's a little late to be thinking about something that far in the past Callie. It was high school romance. Let it go."

"First, I'd like to point out that I had the opportunity to have that ring on my finger. It was a little more than high school romance Aria. But more importantly, the kiss I'm referring to is just a little more in the present than you so quickly assumed. Try day before yesterday."

"Liar!" Aria stood and glared down at her sister.

"Girls, keep your voices down." Idola frowned at them in turn.

"He doesn't love you! He wanted me then and he still wants me now!" Callie ignored her mother's warning.

Aria's eyes narrowed and she flung her half consumed wine into Callie's face. Callie instantly retaliated by shoving Aria as best she could with a table between them. Her small push was successful. Aria rocked on her heels and tried to regain her balance but it was loss and she tumbled backward knocking an ornate vase of a pedestal. It shattered on the floor before Sebastian, now on his feet, could grab it.

As Erica toasted the air she couldn't help but think that in some odd way she was going to like being part of this family.


End file.
